2 weeks agoDallas Stars defenseman Matt Dumba (lower body) is considered week-to-week. He was injured in the second game of the season and will be sidelined for a second consecutive contest on Tuesday versus San Jose. Unfortunately for the veteran, his absence won't be limited to only a few games, as Stars head coach Peter DeBoer expects Dumba to be out for the "foreseeable future." Brendan Smith replaced Dumba in the lineup on Sunday against Seattle, and the team also called up Alex Petrovic from the minors as an extra defensive option.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
2 weeks agoMinnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision on Tuesday versus St. Louis. He's considered iffy for the game after missing the morning skate. The Swedish veteran kicked off the campaign with a two-assist effort in a 3-2 victory over Columbus but has gone scoreless in back-to-back games. Minnesota is set to go with seven defensemen on Tuesday if Johansson won't be ready to play. Rookie Liam Ohgren is expected to fill in for Johansson on the second line. The 20-year-old skated on the fourth line while making his season debut on Sunday versus Winnipeg, so his fantasy stock will get a major boost on Tuesday if he moves up to the top six in Johansson's absence.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Michael Russo
2 weeks agoMinnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower body) will remain on the shelf Tuesday against St. Louis. A lower-body injury knocked the Wild captain out of the lineup at the weekend, forcing him to miss a second consecutive game on Tuesday. His next chance to return comes on Saturday versus Columbus. Declan Chisholm entered the lineup on Sunday versus Winnipeg, logging 17:13 of ice time on the bottom defensive pairing while leading the team in power-play time with 3:24. Minnesota has also recalled Daemon Hunt from the minors, giving the team an extra option on the blue line.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Dylan Loucks
2 weeks agoMinnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (nose) will miss a second consecutive game on Tuesday versus St. Louis. He broke his nose in Saturday's matchup against Seattle and sat out a meeting with Winnipeg the next day. Eriksson Ek was initially expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday's battle but didn't travel to St. Louis. It seems like the team wants to give him some extra time to recover, with the Wild's next game not coming until Saturday. Ryan Hartman has taken over from Eriksson Ek as the second-line center. He was anonymous against the Jets but has logged one goal and nine shots across three games this season. Hartman was also promoted to the top power-play unit on Sunday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Michael Russo
2 weeks agoDallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (lower body) will not be in the lineup against San Jose on Tuesday. According to Stars head coach Peter DeBoer, Seguin tweaked "something" and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. DeBoer also suggested that Seguin might play if it was a playoff game, so it looks like the veteran is only dealing with a minor issue. However, the team doesn't want to take any risks with Seguin early in the campaign. The six-time All-Star has enjoyed a fine start to the year, sitting on two goals and one assist with three games played. Mavrik Bourque (undisclosed) will replace Seguin in the lineup on Tuesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Adam Proteau
3 weeks agoFlorida Panthers center Anton Lundell found the back of the net twice in their victory over the Boston Bruins. Lundell scored his first goal of the afternoon on a rebound attempt in the crease in the opening frame. Later in the second, Lundell would score the eventual game-winner on a wrist shot. This was a nice breakout game for the 23-year-old, as he was held to just one point through the first three games of the campaign. With Alexander Barkov (ankle) and Matthew Tkachuk (illness) both sidelined, Lundell is worth a look in DFS formats as he should continue to see an increase in ice time in the Florida top-6 for the time being.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 weeks agoPittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored his 499th career goal with two assists in their victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday evening. The 38-year-old tallied his first point of the night with the primary assist on Rickard Rakell's second goal of the season. Later in the third, he found defenseman Kris Letang on a 2-on-1 rush to increase the Pittsburgh lead. Malkin has gotten off to a hot start as he now sits with seven total points, which is tied for the most in the league. The three-time Stanley Cup Champion remains a must-start option in all formats and now sits just one goal away from hitting No. 500.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 weeks agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored his first goal of the season and tallied two assists in their victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday evening. Zibanejad tallied his first point of the evening on the power-play on a shot that was re-directed by Chris Kreider in the second period. In the final frame, the center tallied the primary assist on Riley Smith's first goal as a New York Ranger. In the final minute, Zibanejad scored the empty-netter to complete a three-point evening. Fantasy managers should continue to view the 31-year-old as a solid center in all fantasy formats, given the top minutes he receives in every game and his role on one of the best power-play units in the sport.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 weeks agoNew York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced en route to defeating the Detroit Red Wings on Monday evening. This was a nice bounce-back outing for Shesterkin after he allowed six goals to the Utah Hockey Club in his previous start. The superstar netminder earned a shutout victory in his first start of the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 28-year-old looks on pace to surpass the 30-win total for the fourth-straight campaign playing behind a competing Ranger team. Fantasy managers should continue to view Shesterkin as a high-end goalie going forward as he should finish near the top of Vezina voting. The Rangers will have a rematch against the Red Wings in their next game on Thursday evening.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 weeks agoNew York Islanders center Brock Nelson scored twice in their victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday evening. Nelson tallied both of his goals in the second frame. First, he found the back of the net on a wrist shot in the slot off a pass from Maxim Tsyplakov and Adam Pelech. Later in the period, Nelson got on the scoresheet shorthanded on a breakaway after stealing the puck from Cale Makar. Nelson finished the game with five total shots, two blocks, and a +3 rating. Fantasy managers should expect Nelson to continue to serve as the No.2 center, playing alongside Tsyplakov and Kyle Palmieri, and have ample special team opportunities.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 weeks agoNew Jersey Devils goalie Jake Allen earned his second victory of the season on Monday afternoon by posting a 20-save shutout over the Utah Hockey Club. This was the 34-year-old's 25th career shutout, and he now holds a perfect 2-0 record through his first two starts this season. He allowed just one goal on 18 shots against the Buffalo Sabres in his first start. This was an impressive feat on Monday afternoon, as Utah has scored at least five goals in all three of their previous games this season. Allen looks on track to enjoy a nice bounce-back campaign after posting an underwhelming .895 SV% and 3.44 GAA last season. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should consider adding Allen if they lack depth in that position, even though he will serve as the clear No.2 option by Jacob Markstrom this season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 weeks agoOttawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark sat out Monday's matchup against Los Angeles due to a muscle strain. Senators head coach Travis Green doesn't expect Ullmark to be out for long but said he doesn't know if the 2023 Vezina Trophy winner will be ready for the next game on Thursday versus New Jersey. Before missing Monday's action, Ullmark went 1-1-0 with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage to start the season. Anton Forsberg started against the Kings but struggled and was replaced by Mads Sogaard in the second period. The two combined for a .731 save percentage in a high-scoring 8-7 overtime win, so things aren't looking good for Ottawa if Ullmark is forced to miss multiple games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Bruce Garrioch
3 weeks agoSt. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad (personal) has been activated from the non-roster list and is expected to make his season debut on Tuesday against Minnesota. Saad has missed the first three games of the year to welcome a third child to his family. The veteran winger practiced on the top line on Wednesday. He is also poised for second power-play duty. As a player who's on the cusp of earning his 500th career point, Saad could do plenty of damage in a first-line role, although his effectiveness has been lacking on the offensive front in recent years. To make room for Saad on the roster, the Blues placed Alexandre Texier (upper body) on Injured Reserve on Monday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lou Korac
3 weeks agoNew York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) will remain out for Monday's matchup against Detroit but could be ready for action later in the week. According to Dan Rosen of NHL.com, Lindgren is "close" to returning from an upper-body injury. Lindgren will be eligible to come off Injured Reserve on Thursday, meaning his season debut could come in a rematch with the Red Wings on the same day. His absence at the back has resulted in K'Andre Miller having a larger role. He has averaged close to 24 minutes per game while skating on the first defensive pairing and the second power-play unit. Miller has logged one goal, five shots, six blocks, and three hits in two games ahead of Monday's action.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Dan Rosen
3 weeks agoPittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry will return to the crease on Monday versus Montreal. Joel Blomqvist has started back-to-back games for the team after Jarry was lit up 6-0 by the Rangers in Pittsburgh's season opener on home ice. Jarry finished the contest with 34 saves and a .850 save percentage. He will be expected to do a lot better on Monday, although it's a tricky matchup. The Canadiens have gone 2-1-0 through the first few games of the season and have Sam Montembeault in hot form between the sticks. In previous years, Jarry has had a lot of success against Montreal, with a 6-1-1 record in nine career appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Penguins
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